Plug-in kit or hardwired?
| Plug-in kit | Hardwired | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | A plug pack in an existing power point | A driver connected to a lighting or power circuit |
| Control | Remote, app or inline switch | Wall switch, dimmer or smart switch |
| Looks | Plug pack and lead often visible | Nothing on show, driver tucked away |
| Who installs | You can | A licensed electrician |
| Suits | Shelves, TV units, renters | Kitchens, coves, stairs, renovations |
Where the line sits
In New South Wales, items plugged into a power point, and equipment running at no more than 50 volts AC or 120 volts ripple-free DC, aren't part of the electrical installation. Most LED strips run well under that, so the strip side of a plug-in kit isn't wiring work there. The ACT also excludes work on extra low voltage installations from electrical wiring work.
The mains side is what changes things. A new power point inside a cabinet, a driver connected to a circuit, a wall switch or dimmer, or anything in a bathroom is licensed work in every state. If you're not sure which side something falls on, treat it as licensed and ask.
Getting a clean result
The driver needs air around it and has to be reachable, because drivers get warm and they're the part most likely to fail. Sealed inside a bulkhead with no access is the classic mistake.
Long runs dim towards the far end unless power is fed in at more than one point. Strip stuck straight onto a surface shows every LED as a dot on a glossy benchtop, so tidy installs sit the strip in an aluminium channel with a diffuser, which also stops weak adhesive letting go in the heat.
For a kitchen or bathroom renovation, power for each driver has to be placed before the cabinets and ceilings close up. An electrician who regularly works alongside cabinet makers will ask for the joinery drawings early, and that's the one to look for.
What to ask for in the quote
- Where each driver will sit, and how you'd get to it to replace it.
- Which switch or dimmer controls which run, and confirmation the driver and dimmer suit each other.
- Channel and diffuser, or bare strip.
- Strips and drivers rated for damp spots if any run goes near a sink, shower or outdoors.
- Drivers and plug packs carrying the RCM, the mark in-scope electrical equipment must have before it can be sold in Australia.
Plug-in or hardwired: who does what
You can
- Stick up a plug-in kit and plug it into an existing power point.
- Choose colour temperature and brightness before anything's ordered.
- Clean and dry surfaces so the adhesive holds.
- Unplug any kit that flickers, runs hot or smells.
Leave to a licensed electrician
- Connecting a driver to a circuit, or hiding one in a ceiling or cabinet.
- Adding a power point, switch or dimmer for the strips.
- Anything in a bathroom, laundry or outside.
- Tracing the cause when hardwired strips flicker or die.
The order we'd do it in
For shelves or behind the TV, a decent plug-in kit with an RCM-marked plug pack is fine. For a kitchen, stairs or a ceiling cove, we'd plan hardwired strips at design stage: settle the runs, choose channel and diffuser, then have the electrician place power for the drivers before the cabinet maker or plasterer finishes. Doing it afterwards nearly always means visible leads or pulling joinery apart.
Want a specialist to sort it?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.